Michael Epps

The Spartan Sports Report sent reporters out to Chicago for the Champions Classic and Columbus for the MSU vs OSU football game. We bring you reports from both games and also talk MSU Men’s Soccer, who gets ready for the NCAA Tournament. That and more on this week’s show.

The Spartan Sports Report breaks down MSU’s big upset over Penn State, and previews another huge matchup against Ohio State. Later, the team brings an analyst on the desk to talk MSU Basketball and the expectations for this season. That and more on the show.

The Spartan Sports Report checks-in with the MSU Football team and their triple-overtime thriller at Northwestern. Men’s Soccer heads into the Big Ten tournament and Ice Hockey continues to impress in Danton Cole’s first year. That and more on this week’s show.

An inside look into the new Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Hear how students are reacting to the viral social media campaign, “#MeToo.” The first Costco in the mid-Michigan area opens in Meridian Township. Plus, in honor of the winningest coach in Spartan basketball history, the Breslin Center debuts the Tom Izzo Hall of History. Those stories and more on Focal Point.

A new $88 million MSU research facility opens in Grand Rapids. Students must follow new moped parking rules next year. Plus construction updates in our on-campus report. Those stories and more on Focal Point.

Check out our third show of the semester, as we bring you local and national stories. We break down how President Trump’s new budget proposal can impact local arts funding; Distracted Driving awareness week reminds us of a tragic incident that took the life of a local teen; and we also give you this week’s breakdown of MSU sports. These stories and much more on this week’s Focal Point.

The 2016 Meridian Township election saw yet another train of dominance from the Democratic Party, as all eight local level openings were filled with the party’s candidates. Democrats continue to hold each of the seven Township Board positions in a one-sided township government. Meridian had been a predominantly Republican area through the 1980s, but Township Clerk Brett Dreyfus said the change started to occur in the 1990s. “People can try to guess why that is and what the factors are, one argument is how the community started to get younger and more diversity started occurring,” said Dreyfus, who was reelected as Clerk for his second term. “People started being unhappy with the Republican-dominated mindset and started thinking we need to change something.

Early Black Friday shoppers will have to look outside of Meridian Township to find the best deals this year. The Meridian Mall will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, with doors opening Friday at 6 a.m. Only some of the mall’s outside retailers will open early, like Macy’s at 5 p.m. on Thursday, and will stay open all night leading up to the mall’s opening in the morning. “We wanted our employees and our retail partner employees to have the holiday back to celebrate with their families,” said Todd Huhn, the mall’s general manager. “That was the biggest driving factor in our decision. Everyone is very happy that we’re giving Thanksgiving back and respecting the holiday.”

Huhn said the mall has only received positive remarks and comments regarding the switch.

Monticello’s is a family-run market in Haslett branded as the local, fresh market and butcher of the community. With a new Costco store coming to Meridian in Fall 2017, local businesses like Monticello’s understand how different their stores are from the big corporations. “Us and Costco attract two different types of shoppers,” said a manager at Monticello’s, who wished her name to not be made public. “If you want a 4-inch steak, I’ll cut you a 4-inch steak. If you want a half-inch steak, I’ll cut you a half-inch steak.

Special Projects

EAST LANSING, Michigan — For years, men and women have struggled with the idea of finding the right shade of beauty for their skin and having it fit to their complexion and skin type. There has always been a debate between drugstore makeup companies like Maybelline and Covergirl compared to high-brand cosmetic companies like […]

Matt St. Germain strives to bring some positivity into this world and others’ news feeds St. Germain is a master’s student at Michigan State University. He makes it a priority to inspire and influence others. Spartan Newsroom: Please tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, interests and goals? Matt St. Germain: I am […]

The challenge of leaving home to pursue a career in collegiate cross country has been difficult for Robert “Bobby” Crowley. Crowley, 18, was born in Carlow, Ireland. The freshman ran cross country at Knochbeg College before coming to the U.S. and enrolling at Michigan State University. For Crowley, he has witnessed significant culture change.

Aug. 1, until the middle of November. January until May. And three weeks off in July. Any die-hard football fan knows why I left out December. This is the life of a college football coach. For me, it’s all too familiar. It’s also the life of my dad. Ron Burton’s coaching experience Graduate assistant coach (1992-93) […]

From non-profits and local community members to city advisors and corporations, there is a lot going on in and around East Lansing to improve sustainability and access to recycling. Vast improvement in these areas is no easy feat, but people at all levels of the community are working to increase access to going greener.